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jackalheaded

Jackalheaded is an adjective used in archaeology, art history, and comparative mythology to describe figures that have a jackal for a head or a head resembling a jackal on a human body or other form. The term is most often encountered in discussions of ancient Egyptian religion, where jackal-headed deities appear in tomb art and votive offerings. The best-known example is Anubis, the god of mummification and the afterlife, typically portrayed with a black jackal head on a human body. Other jackal-headed deities include Wepwawet, a deity associated with funerary rites and the divine escort of the deceased, who is sometimes depicted as a jackal-headed figure.

In iconography, jackalheaded figures symbolize protection of the deceased, the boundary between life and death, and

In modern scholarship, jackalheaded descriptions focus on stylistic details, such as head shape, posture, headdress, and

the
process
of
mummification.
The
jackal
was
associated
with
cemeteries
and
scavenging,
which
contributed
to
its
funerary
associations.
The
term
may
also
appear
in
broader
mythological
or
fantasy
contexts
to
evoke
the
distinctive,
canid
features
of
such
beings,
or
used
descriptively
to
refer
to
depictions
where
the
head
of
a
figure
is
replaced
by
a
jackal's
head.
the
attributes
held
by
the
figure,
to
determine
rank,
function,
and
ritual
role.
The
term
is
descriptive
and
not
a
formal
title
for
any
single
entity.